Parrot to the Rescue in Tagalog by Mia Bowen Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved
	Jack and Lisa were on school holidays, but it hadn't been a fun holidays yet. It had been raining every day!
"Look!" cried Jack, pointing out the window. "Finally the sun is out!" "Why don't you go on a picnic? You can spend all day outside," suggested Mum.
	First they went down to the shed to find Pepito. "Magandang umaga! Saan tayo ngayon pupunta?" squawked Pepito.
"Papunta tayo sa lawa para magpiknik," replied Jack.
	"Punta tayo sa lawa!" squawked Pepito. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"Mainit," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Kailangan kong may mainom." "Nauuhaw din ako," said Jack. "Nasaan ang limonada?"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Aray!! Tulong! Tulungan ninyo ako!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Anong nangyayari?" cried Jack in alarm. "Alis!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Tutulungan ko kayo!" squawked Pepito. He chased the magpie high up into the tree, while Jack and Lisa disappeared down the path.
	They ran and ran and ran until they were out of breath ... "Slow down!" cried Lisa. "I think we're lost! I can't see the way to the lake any more."
Lisa looked up into the sky and saw Pepito flying above. "Tigil, Pepito!" called Lisa. "Nawawala kami! Nasaan ang daan? Hindi namin makita."
	"Maaari ko itong hanapin para sa inyo!" squawked Pepito as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Sundan ninyo ako!" he screeched.
"Dahan-dahan lang!" puffed Jack. "Hindi kami maaaring lumipad tulad mo! Kailangan naming daanan ang mga palumpon ng damo," he called.
"Iyon na ang lawa! Sa wakas!" cried Lisa.
"Salamat sa lahat ng tulong mo, Pepito!" said Jack. "Walang anuman," replied Pepito, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Pepito called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"... isang milokoton, mga istroberi, mga aprikot, isang saging, isang kahel ..."
"... mga seresa, isang peras, mga ubas ..."
Pepito eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Nagugutom na ako. Maaari ko bang tikman iyan, pakiusap?" he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"Huwag mo kainan iyan!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Puro langgam iyan." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "Gutom ang mga langgam ..." said Jack. "At gusto nila ng keyk." "Huwag kang mag-alala!" squawked Pepito. "Gusto ko ng keyk at ng mga langgam din!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"Ang tinapay!" squawked Pepito. "Naalala mo ba ang tinapay?" "Oo," replied Lisa. "Hindi ko iyon nalimutan." Pepito happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"Mayroon ka bang dalang keso?" asked Jack. "Oo naman! Heto," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Paabot na rin ng kutsilo, pakiusap," he added. "Salamat," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"Tama na ba iyan?" asked Lisa. "Gusto ninyo pa ba?" "Hindi na ... Masakit ang aking tiyan. Siguro naparami nakain ko," said Jack. "Hindi yata!" squawked Pepito. They all laughed.
They spent the rest of the afternoon climbing trees, exploring and running around.
The sun was starting to get very low in the sky. "Gumagabi na," squawked Pepito. "Oo nga, kailangan na nating umuwi," said Jack.
They packed up their things and headed home down the path away from the lake .... tired, happy and not the slightest bit hungry. Soon they could see the roof of their house through the trees. It was good to be home.
...............	Magpie was happy to be alone again. She was even happier when she discovered some bread they had left behind.